Water-using appliance with water-conditioner dispenser



April 17, 1962 D. E. FlNK ETAL 7 3,029,826

WATER-USING APPLIANCE WITH WATER-CONDITIONER DISPENSER Filed May 21, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 2| 3 3 1 L [i I 3 7 l0 l6 6 l7 n I. m 4

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DONALD E. FINK BY JOSEPH T. MCARDLE ATTORNEY April 17, 1962 D. E. FINK ETAL 3,029,826

WATER-USING APPLIANCE WITH WATER-CONDITIONER DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1957 INVENTORS.

m. M a Inc N R E m D H M5 m N S 3,029,826 Patented Apr. 17, 1962- hce 3,02%,826 WATER-USlNG AEPLKANCE WlTH WATER- CONDITEBNER DISPENSER Donald E. Finlr, Milwaukee, and Joseph T. McArdle,

Waukesha, Win, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed May 21, 1957, Ser. No. 66%,571 8 Claims. (6!. 134-57) This invention relates to means for automatically introducing a material such as a liquid detergent, wetting agent, or other water-conditioner, into a water-using appliance. In particular, the invention relates to means for introducing into an appliance tub a liquid or readily fiowable material such as a detergent for the washing operations, or a Wetting agent to condition a rinsing solution.

It will be readily apparent as the description of the invention proceeds, that it is useful in apparatus in which a liquid is to be introduced into a tub or vat at a predetermined time. In a dishwasher or clothes washer, for example, it may be desired automatically to add a quantity of liquid detergent, germicidal liquid, or wetting agent, at a particular phase or" operation. The invention will be exemplified in association with a dishwasher, in which it is presently used by the assignee of this application, to introduce a measured quantity of wetting agent into the final rinse water.

It is well known that in an automatic dishwasher in which the drying of the washed and rinsed articles is by evaporation of water therefrom, spots frequently develop on the glassware and silverware as the result of the deposit of the mineral content of ti e droplets of water which may have remained on the were after the final rinsing operation. Dishwashers now provide for the introduction of a wetting agent which reduces the surface tension of the rinse water and thus causes it more freely and warn pletely to drain from the washed articles. Because of structural and operational limitations, the present wetting agent dispensers must be placed in a location which is ditlicult to reach for filling and servicing.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a water conditioner dispenser which may be mounted on or within the door of the dishwasher tub; whereupon when the door is open, the dispenser is immediately available for filling or inspection.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dispenser which embodies means for dispensing an accurately measured charge of a liquid detergent or other waterconditioning material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser having simple means for establishing the proper level to which the container or reservoir should be filled for proper operation.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a dispenser in which all parts in contact with the conditioning material may be of non-metallic construction, and hence not subject to corrosion or other deterioration, even when in prolonged contact with the conditioning material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dis penser for wetting agents or the like having a simple valve mechanism for releasing a measured charge of material at a desired time in the operational cycle of a dishwasher or other water-using appliance.

In the embodiment of the invention presently commercially used, we provide a rectangular container of relatively small thickness, whereby the container may be mounted within a pocket in the door of'a dishwasher or on the inner lining of said door. The container has a fill cap and a discharge passage; and when the container is disposed within the dishwasher door, only the fill cap and discharge passage are visible. Within the container are a conduit arranged to receive the conditioning liquid from a main reservoir portion, and a measuring cup which receives the liquid only from the conduit. By a suitable arrangement, the conduit is filled from the reservoir when the door is moved to open position, for, example; and the measuring cup is filled by direct flow of the liquid from the conduit when the door is moved to .closed position. The measuring cup is in direct communication with a passage discharging into the tub. Said passage is provided with a valve for the release of the material at the proper time.

A particularly appropriate valve actuator comprises a simple plunger valve having a stem which extends through a wall of the container, and an externally arranged bimetal member which engages with the valve stem. When cold, the bimetal member urges the valve into closed position; and when the bimetal is deflected upon heating, it unseats the valve to permit the escape of liquid from the measuring cup. Pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bimetal member is heated by the passage of electric current therethrough; the application of current is governed by the time cycle controller with which dishwashers are usually equipped.

According to the present invention, therefore, a measured amount of a liquid-conditioning material is placed in dispensing position as an incident to opening and closing the door of the associated apparatus and remains in said dispensing position until released at the desired time of operation of the apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the invention will better be understood by the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional elevation of a dishwasher embodying the invention; I

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the dispenser taken through the measuring cup and valving means, and showing in fragmentary section the inner door liner of the dishwasher in its substantially horizontal, full open position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the dispenser looking in the direction of the arrows 3--3 of FIG. I, with a portion of the container broken away and some of the underlying structure shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the dispenser taken on lines 4--4 of FIG. 3 to show the fill level establishing means;

FIG. 5 is a sectionalelevation similar to FIG. 2 but showing the position of the dispenser when the door is in its substantially vertical, fully closed position;

FIGJfi is a top plan view in section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic wiring diagram.

FIG. 1 shows somewhat schematically an automatic dishwasher of a conventional domestic type. Briefly, the dishwasher 1 comprises a structure providing a tub 2 having embossed trackways 3 which slidably mount racks (not shown) which receive the dishes and other articles to be washed. The tub is provided with a bottom hinged door 4 which is swingable between its substantially vertical closed position and an open position in which the inner panel 5 of the door is substantially horizontal. As is well known, the dish racks are arranged to be drawn from the tub onto the panel 5015 the door when the door is open. The bottom of the tub is formed with a sump 6 within which is disposed an impeller 7, directly driven by the motor 8 suitably supported in the compartment 9 below the tub. The impeller rotates within the screen 10 and also within a generally circular heating unit 11 which is suitably supported within the tub. The heating unit is of the conventional tubular sheathed type in which a heating element is axially disposed within a metallic sheath, and

is embedded in a highly compacted body of electrically insulating and heat-conducting material such as finely divided magnesium oxide.

Heated water from a suitable source (not shown) enters a solenoid controlled valve 12, and by way of the discharge pipe 14 passes to an inlet fitting 15 at the top of the tub. A drain pipe 16 may be provided with any suitable electromagnetically controlled valve 17 to control drainage from the tub.

When the dishwasher is loaded and a suitable quantity of detergent added, the door is closed and the user operates a time cycle controller (shown schematically in FIG. 7) to institute an operational program which may include various washing and rinsing operations, as later briefly described. During the washing and rinsing operations, the impeller 7 whirls the washing or rinsing liquid violently among the articles within the tub. At the end of each washing and rinsing operation, the motor is stopped and the spent liquid drained from the tub. After a suitable drainage interval at the end of the final rinsing operation, the motor 8 is started, whereby the impeller 7 circulates air throughout the tub to dry the washed articles by evaporation of the liquid remaining thereon. During this operation, the heating unit is energized to add heat to the circulating air and thus accelerate the drying operation.

It is well known that the addition of a small amount of a wetting agent to the final rinse water will improve the drainage of the rinse water from the washed articles and thus minimize the retention on the articles of the small droplets which, upon evaporation, may leave a mineral deposit on the articles. The amount of water used in each of the various washing and rinsing operations of a modern domestic dishwasher is only about twelve pints, and a relatively minute quantity of the wetting agent is required. When the wetting agent comprises a liquid Pluronic, only 0.65 cc. need be added to the quantity of final rinse water. Too much of the wetting agent may cause foaming of the rinse liquid. This is undesirable, for a foaming solution has a tendthey to leak past the guards about the margins of the "door.

The present invention not only insures against an excessive introduction of wetting agent into the rinsing water, but places the dispenser in a very handy position for filling it with the liquid-conditioning material. As shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser 20 comprises a generally rectangular container, arranged to be mounted within the dishwasher door 4; that is to say, between the inner and outer panels comprising the door. Advantageously, the dispenser may be affixed to that portion of the door which includes the inner stiffener 21, which prevents excessive deflection of the inner panel when a heavily loaded dish rack is resting on the opened door. The dispenser may be mounted by suitable means, such as by screws (not shown) entering tapped holes 22 (FIG. 3) in the front wall of the dispenser. As best shown in FIG. 2, the dispenser advantageously comprises a two-part structure, moulded from a suitable plastic material, such as a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product. The main body part 23 includes the fill cap 24 (FIG. 4) which has a rather small fill opening 25 in its bottom and is arranged to be closed by the threaded 'cap 26; the measuring cup 27, formed with a passage 28 leading to the exit port 29; and a guide 30 for the valve 31. Said valve has a tapered, enlarged stem portion 32 which terminates in an apertured extension 33. At its inner end, the valve is equipped with a suitable tip 34, which is arranged to seat in a conical aperture 35 (FIG. 3) at the base of the measuring cup. Advantageously, the tip 34 is of a compressible material such as a suitable silicone rubber composition.

The base 36 of the dispenser is so designed that it slopes towards a sump 37 when the door is in its opened position, as shown in FIG. 2. The base also has wall means 38 defining a conduit structure 39, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the side wall portion of the conduit 39 is spaced from the right-hand wall of the base, thereby providing an access passage 39a through which the liquid content of the dispenser will enter the conduit 39 from a main reservoir portion 40, when the door is open. It will be obvious that when the door is raised to closed position, a small amount of the liquid will spill from the conduit to the measuring cup 27. The liquid level shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is typical of the quantity of liquid in the dispenser when it has been filled to the top of the fill opening 25; hence the figures are representative of a completely full" dispenser. It will be seen, therefore, that liquid does not enter the measuring cup 27 directly from the reservoir portion 40, either when the dispenser is in its vertical or horizontal position. The liquid can enter the cup 27 only by way of the conduit 39. When the container is full, any excess of liquid entering cup 27 will overflow the rim of the cup. The sump 37 is sized so that so long as there is sufficient liquid in the reservoir to reach the point 41 (FIG. 2), the conduit will contain enough liquid to fill the cup 27 to its capacity, as represented, of course, by the annular space around the valve stem.

The preferred means for operating valve 31 comprises a bimetal member 42, housed externally of the dispenser body in a ventilated cover 43, suitably secured as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the member 42 is U-shaped and provided with electric terminal portions respectively having connection screws 44, 45, by means of which the bimetal member may comprise a series-connected electrical element, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 7. The bimetal member has a tip 46 which projects through an opening in the head 33 of the valve stem. The bimetal member 42 assumes a normal i.e., cool, position in which the valve 31 is in its seated position with the tip 34 thereof under substantial compression. The bimetal member may become heated to a maximum of F., merely by the elevated temperature of the dishwasher operation. It will flex in an upward direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, but in an insufiicient amount to do other than relax the compressed valve tip 34, which remains seated. As presently explained, however, the passage of current through the bimetal member heats it sufliciently for additional flexure, whereupon the valve 31 raises to permit the flow of liquid from the cup through the passage 29 and into the tub 2. The tapered portion 32 of the valve stem creates an annular air space about the guide portion 30 of the dispenser, thus providing for entry of atmospheric air into the container. Other venting holes may be provided, as indicated at 47, in FIG. 3. A stop screw 48 engaging with a transverse rod 49 (FIG. 3) provides for biasing the bimetal member in a downward direction to establish the normal seating preswre.

The description of the operational cycle which follows has been greatly simplified and is perhaps more typical of the operational cycles of dishwashers of several years ago. Present day dishwashers have more complex operations, including a prerinse cycle, the automatic introduction of detergent, and the like. The herein described cycle is operative, and, insofar as the operation of the Water conditioner is concerned, would be identical to contemporary dishwasher models. Also with reference to FIG. 7, it should be understood that the time intervals resembling the cam operations are not to scale.

The time cycle controller 50 has been somewhat schematically shown. Such devices are extremely well known in the art and comprise variants of constructions utilizing a synchronous motor 51 arranged to rotate by means of suitable reduction gearing and a slip clutch 52, a cam shaft 53, on which are fixed a plurality of cams C1, C2, C3 and C4. The cams are ordinarily of the disk type, having peripheral identations with which cooperate the follower portions of spring contact switches S1, S2, S3, and S4. The cam shaft ordinarily terminates in a manually operable setting knob 54. Usually it is necessary for the user manually to rotate the knob 54 through an arc of about ten degrees to bring the cams from an off position which is automatically reached at the end of an operational cycle to the on position which commences the new cycle.

It will be noted that cam C1 has two levels of steps and that its associated switch S1 has a stack of two contacts'which are closed in succession as the cam follower ascends the steps of the cam. All of the other cams have single rise notches and the spring contact switches associated therewith are of the simple single pole type.

Assuming now that the tub has been loaded with articles to be Washed and suitable detergent added, the user begins the operation by manually advancing the dial to a designated on position. This rotates the set of cams as a group. When the on position is reached, switch S1 first closes with contact 53, completing the circuit to the timer motor 51 by way of line conductor 56, switch S1, and conductors 57 and 58. Shortly thereafter, switch S3 closes with its contact 59, operating the drain valve 16 to closed position by energizing the drain valve solenoid 16.1 through the circuit including the conductors 60 and S8. Simultaneously with the commencement of timer operation, switch S4 closes with its contact 61, opening inlet valve 12 by energizing the inlet valve solenoid 12.1 through the circuit including switch s4 and conductors 62 and 58. Water is introduced into the tub through the inlet pipinglS for a period calculated to purge the lines of any cool water therein, and then when the drain valve closes, to supply about one and one-half gallons of water to the tub. This interval is schematically represented by the rise portion of cam C4. After the water introduction interval, the follower contact of switch S1 rises on the second step of cam C1, thereby closing the contact 63 and energizing the main motor 8 through the circuit including conductors 64 and 58. The dishwasher remains in full operation through a first Washing period as represented by the rise portion 65 of cam C1. At the end of said washing period, the step portion 66 of cam C1 is reached, whereupon the switch S1 releases contact 63 to open the main motor circuit while maintaining contact 53 closed for continuous energy supply to the timer motor 51. Simultaneously with the interruption of the main motor circuit, switch S3 releases its contact 59, thus de-energizing the drain valve solenoid 16.1. The drain valve16, being of a normally open type, permits the spent washing liquid to drain fully from the tub. After an interval calculated to insure complete drainage, switch S3 closes with its contact 59 to operate the valve 16 to closed position, and switch S1 closes with its contact 63 to energize the main motor during the second washing period indicated at 67 on the cam chart. Simultaneously with this operation, switch S4 closes with its contact 61 for the interval required to introduce another quantity of heated Water into the tub and then releases its contact to interrupt the water flow. At the end of the second full length Washing cycle, switch S1 de-energizes the motor 8 and switch S3 de-energizes the drain valve solenoid 16.1, as appears on the cam chart, whereupon the second volume of spent wash water flows to the drain. There then follows a first rinsing period, designated 68 on cam C1, with motor operation and drain and inlet valve operation as noted on the cam chart. At the beginning of a second rinsing period, switch S2 which had beeninoperative previously, closes with its contact 69, whereby current traverses heating element 11 and bimetal member 42 by way of the circuit including con- .ductors 7t) and 58. Heating element 11 serves to limit the current traversing the bimetal member. In about ten seconds, member 42 attains a steady-state temperature of about 300 F. resulting from the passage of current therethrough. This causes the member to flex in an upward direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, sufiiciently to open the valve 31 and release the contents of the measuring cup 27 for flow into the tub 2. The small amount of water conditioning material becomes thoroughly mixed with the rinsing liquid by reason of the violent water action within the tub. After the completion of the second rinsing operation, the motor stops and the drain valve opens to permit complete drainage of the rinsing liquid from the washed articles and the tub. The water conditioning material, by reducing the surface tension of the rinsing liquid, insures substantially complete drainage with minimum of residual droplets. The motor again starts and remains in operation during a suitable drying period to enforce air circulation about the articles within the tub and thus improve the drying operation. The heating element 11, of course, raises the air temperature within the tub and thereby expedites the evaporation of the water which may have remained on the articles. Suitably before the end of this drying period, switch S2 interrupts the circuit to the heating unit 11 and bimetal member 42 to permit the dishes and other articles to cool to a comfortable temperature for removal at the completion of the drying operation.

During this cooldown period, the bimetal element 42 cools to the temperature necessary for it to restore the valve 31 to its closed position. When the user then operates the dishwasher door to remove the washed and dried articles, the movement of the door to its horizontal and then to its vertical position refills the measuring cup 27.

Usually, the dishwasher will remain idle for a substantial time, because except in rather large households, it is common practice to wash a days dishes at one time. The valve 3i remains closed, thus preventing any loss of the conditioning material into the empty tub. Whenever the dishwasher door is opened for adding soiled dishes or other articles for eventual washing, the measuring cup will empty into the reservoir as the door approaches its horizontal position and will automatically refill as the door is reclosed. In view of the fact that the dishwasher door may be opened rather frequently during the day to receive cooking utensils, breakfast and luncheon dishes, etc., the frequent emptying and refilling of the measuring cap, and the movement of the liquid within the dispenser, insures that the liquid is kept in a properly flowable condition, with'no opportunity to stratify or otherwise deteriorate.

While there has been described what is at present con- .sidered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention,

It will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a water-using appliance having a tub, a door for said tub having a bottom transverse hinge for movement of said door between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position, means for introducing water into said tub and a heating element within said tub; a dispenser for liquid to be introduced into said tub at a desired time, said dispenser comprising a container mounted behind a panel of said door, said container having filling means and outlet means including a disa charge structure, said filling means projecting through said panel and being accessible when said door is open, and said discharge structure communicating with the interior of said tub when said door is closed, said container having a reservoir portion served by said filling means, a measuring cup within said container, said cup having a valve port in communication with said outlet means, a valve in said measuring cup selectively to open and to close said valve port, a bimetal member disposed externally of'said container and engaging with said valve to urge the same to closed position, said bimetal member flexing upon a predetermined increase in the temperature thereof resulting from energization thereof to operate said valve to open position, structure in said container providing a conduit in open communication with said reservoir to receive the liquid therefrom when said door is in its horizontal open position, said conduit terminating in a pouring lip related to said measuring cup to pour the liquid into said cup when said door approaches its vertical closed position, and time-cycle switching means arranged to energize said heating element and said bimetal member at a predetermined time in the operational cycle of said appliance.

2. In combination with a water-using appliance having a tub, a door for said tub having a bottom transverse hinge for movement of said door between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position, means for introducing water into said tub and a heating element within said tub; a dispenser for water conditioner liquid comprising a container mounted behind a panel of said door, said container having filling means including a removable filler cap, and outlet means including a discharge structure communicating with the interior of said tub when said door is closed, said container having a main reservoir portion communicating with said filling means, a measuring cup within said container in open communication with said main reservoir, said cup having a valve port in communication with said outlet means, a valve in said measuring cup selectively to open and to close said valve port, a bimetal member disposed externally of said container and electrically connected in circuit with said heating element, said bimetal member engaging with said valve and flexing upon a predetermined increase in temperature thereof to operate said valve from a normally closed position to an open position, means in said container providing a conduit in open communication with said main reservoir to receive the liquid therefrom when said door is in its horizontal open position and having a pouring lip related to said measuring cup to pour the liquid into said cup when said door approaches its vertical closed position, and time-cycle switching means arranged to complete said circuit to energize said heating element and said bimetal valve at a predetermined time in the operational cycle of said appliance.

3. In combination with a water-using appliance having a tub, a door for said tub having a bottom transverse hinge for movement of said door between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position, and means for introducing heated water into said tub; a dispenser for water conditioner liquid comprising a container mounted behind a panel of said door, said container having filling means including a removable filler cap and outlet means including a discharge structure, said filling means projecting through said panel and being exposed and facing upwardly when said door is open, and said discharge structure communicating with the interior of said tub when said door is closed, said container having a main reservoir portion communicating with said filling means, a measuring cup within said container in open communication with said main reservoir, said cup having a valve port in communication with said outlet means, a valve in said measuring cup selectively to open and to close said valve port, a bimetal member disposed externally of said container and engaging with said valve to urge the same to closed position at temperatures thereof substantially the same as the water temperature within said tub and flexing upon a predetermined increase in the temperature thereof above the water temperature to operate said valve to open position, structure in said container providing a conduit in open communication with said main reservoir to receive the liquid therefrom when said door is in its horizontal open position, said conduit having a pouring lip related to said measuring cup to pour the liquid into said cup when said door approaches its vertical closed position, an electric circuit for conducting current through said bimetal member to heat the same, and time-cycle switching means in said circuit and arranged to energize said bimetal member at a predetermined time in the operational cycle of said appliance.

4. The combination according to claim 3 in which the electric circuit for said bimetal member includes a currentiimiting resistance element arranged to heat air within said tub.

5. The combination according to claim 3 in which the electric circuit for said bimetal member includes a heating element within said tub, said heating element being in series circuit relation with said bimetal member.

6. In combination with a water-using appliance having a tub, a door for said tub having a bottom transverse hinge for movement of said door between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position, means for introducing water into said tub, a heating element within said tub, and time-cycle means for effecting introduction of liquid and energization of said heating element at predetermined times; a dispenser for liquid to be introduced into said tub, said dispenser comprising a container mounted on said door, means for supplying said container with a quantity of the liquid; at compartment within said container and having passage means communicating therewith through which the liquid can enter said compartment when said door is in its horizontal open position, a dispenser cup in said chamber, said cup having an open top disposed at a location in which said cup will not receive the liquid directly from said container when said door is in its closed position, a conduit leading from said compartment to the open top of said cup but terminating in spaced relation to said open top, whereby when said door is raised to closed position the liquid may flow from said chamber into said cup and any excess of the liquid will overflow said cup and return to said container, means forming a passage communicating between said cup and said tub, a valve in said passage means, a bimetal member disposed externally of said container and engaging said valve, said bimetal member, when below a predetermined temperature, flexing in a direction urging said valve to closed position, and means activated by said time-cycle means to increase the temperature of said bimetal member to eiiect the flexure of said bimetal member in the opposite direction to open said valve in a predetermined time relation to the energization of said heating element.

7. In combination with a water-using appliance having a tub and electric valve mechanism for introducing water thereinto, a door for said tub, said door being hinged for movement between vertical and horizontal positions of which one represents an open position and the other a closed position, and time-cycle means in circuit with a power source and said electric valve mechanism for operating the same; a dispenser for a fiowable water conditioner material, comprising a container mounted on said door, said container having a reservoir portion, means for supplying said reservoir portion with said material, wall means within said container defining a conduit, wall means within said container defining a channel between said reservoir and said conduit to effect gravity flow of said material from said reservoir into said conduit when said door is in one of its said two positions, a measuring cup within said container, said measuring cup having overflow means communicating with said reservoir for predetermining the volumetric capacity of said cup, said conduit and said cup being disposed within said container to effect iiow of the material from said conduit into said cup only upon movement of said door to the other of its said two positions, a passage communicating directly between said measuring cup and said tub for evacuation of the water conditioner material from said cup into said tub when the door is in its said other position, valve means in said passage, valve actuator means for establishing said valve means in a closed position precluding flow of water conditioner material from said cup into said passage and electrical means energized through said time-cycle means for operating said valve actuator to open said valve means in predetermined time relation to the operation of said water introduction valve mechanism.

8. In combination with a Water-using appliance having a tub and means for introducing water thereinto, a door for said tub, said door being hinged for movement between open and closed positions, and time-cycle means for controlling the introduction of water into said tub; a dispenser for water-conditioner liquid, comprising a container mounted on said door, means for supplying said container with a quantity of the liquid, a reservoir Within said container, a measuring cup disposed within said reservoir, said measuring cup having an open top over which excess liquid may return to said reservoir, and having at its base an outlet, means providing a conduit between said reservoir and the open top of said cup, said conduit being arranged to receive the liquid from said reservoir by gravity flow when said door is open and to conduct the liquid to said measuring cup only upon movement of said door to its closed position, a passage communicating directly between said cup outlet and said tub for gravity flow of the liquid from said cup into said tub, a valve disposed relative to said cup for normally closing the outlet thereof, and means controlled by said time-cycle means for opening said valve in a predetermined time relation to the introductionof Water into said tub. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,254,269 Clark et al. Sept. 2, 1941 2,654,377 Sway Oct. 6, 1953 2,679,850 Karnp June 1, 1954 2,699,886 James Jan. 18, 1955 2,787,118 Markham Apr. 2, 1957 2,946,489 Brucken July 26, 1960 

